She attempted to shove me out of her space, but I was bigger and stronger than her, so if she wanted me to move, I’d have to move for her. Maybe it was a dick move, but I didn’t.
“You told me you would give me my bag back so that I could leave if I told you what you wanted to know,” she said with a weary frown.
I flicked my gaze to her backpack and shrugged. “And where exactly are you going to go?”
Her eyes narrowed and I tilted my head, dropping my hands down to her waist.
“Enoch, you cannot hold me hostage here. I. Want. To. Leave.”
“Really? You don’t want to cuddle with me on the sofa? You don’t want me to hold you and keep telling you how much I love you? That I still forgive you? That I still want you?”
Her teeth bit into her bottom lip and she blinked rapidly like she was trying to fight off tears.
“You’re insane,” she bit back.
“Maybe. Doesn’t change how I feel about you. So? What’s it gonna be? Cuddles? Or am I going to have to go unzip that backpack and find out what you’ve got planned for tonight that’s better than letting me take care of you?”
Her nostrils flared, and I resisted the urge to smile at how sexy she looked when she was upset.
“Fine,” she replied between clenched teeth.
“Excellent,” I said, with a smile, as I placed her back on the floor. “Go get comfy on the couch. I’m going to get some ice cream.”
Shiloh stared at me for a moment before blinking out of her daze. I watched her sink into the middle of the couch, her legs pulling into her chest. She rested her chin on her knees, and I moved my focus to the kitchen task.
I quickly scooped some mint chip ice cream into my bowl, serving myself more than usual in case Shiloh changed her mind, and joined them on the couch. I took the space beside Shiloh, propping my feet up on the coffee table as I got comfortable.
Jae’s phone dinged and he fished it out of his pocket. He gasped and looked up at me.
“The shipment is here.”
Shiloh looked between the two of us for an explanation and Jae hopped up and over until he was sitting right beside us, our bodies jostling together with the force. He held his hand up for a high five and Shiloh blinked, turning her head to look between the two of us.
Jae rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand to slap his own palm.
“Contractor says we’ll be set for opening August first.”
“That’s amazing news, bro,” I said, reaching around Shiloh to squeeze his shoulder. “It’s gonna be a busy next few weeks getting everything squared away, huh?”
“Yeah,” he said with a sighed. “But I’m just glad to finally get the ball rolling. I was beginning to think I wasn’t going to be open before the end of summer.”
“Congrats,” Shiloh muttered with a forced smile.
There was a beat of silence before Jae reached for his bowl of ice cream on the coffee table.
“So, ready for this?”
I glanced at Shiloh and she grumbled something under her breath. Jae pressed play and I settled into my spot.
I waved the spoon in front of Shiloh. “Sure you don’t want a bite?”
Her face scrunched up before she nodded. I smiled, and she took the spoon to dig into the bowl from my hand. I was happy she was eating something.
I admittedly spent more time watching her than I did the opening to the show I’d never seen.
After a few bites she handed me back the spoon with a wincing smile and I turned my attention to the screen. I needed the distraction from the thoughts running circles in my brain, needed to do exactly what I’d told her I would—put this in a box on shelf and focus on the present for a while. So, I did. I focused on the feel of where our hips and thighs were touching as I watched her favorite show.
July 3, Friday
